


It's Not Like That

by sleepyfaceandsnark (teamwinchesterbros)



Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Eating Disorder, Gallagher family - Freeform, Gallavich, Gen, eating disorder mention, prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-20
Updated: 2014-11-20
Packaged: 2018-02-26 08:52:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2645768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teamwinchesterbros/pseuds/sleepyfaceandsnark
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mickey finds something out about Ian’s past he didn’t know about and causes him some worry.</p><p> </p><p>Based on anon prompt: Gallaghers drop that Ian had an eating disorder.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's Not Like That

Fiona, Lip, and Mickey are hanging out in the Gallagher kitchen. Mickey had stopped by after his work at The Alibi and on his way home to his house where Ian was to be meeting him with a promise of some food from Fiona and to pick up the refill of Ian’s pills from them.     

“You look at the side effects for this shit?” Lip asks. Taking Ian pills in his hand, reading the back of them.  Mickey sits at the table quiet.

“Yup,” Fiona answers looking through other papers.

“You see weight gain as one of them?”

“Oh no... Fiona walks over and looks at the pill bottle . “Why? What are you thinking?”

“I hope that doesn’t make him …you know go back to his …older way. Remember after Monica left?” Lip comments.

“Shit that’s right. You think he would?”

“I don’t know with the extra stress and the frustration of these making him gain more…”

“Yeah but he prided himself in getting out of that. Remember? Got fit, gained muscle.”

“Stacked on the carbs yeah. I’m just saying it’s something to watch out for.”

“What are you two talking about?” Mickey interrupts, curious by their failed whispering, unsure if it is intentional or not. Lip, annoyed by Mickey’s presence, decides to be blunt.

“Ian. Had an eating disorder.”

Fiona eyes Lip, irritated and says more gently to Mickey “We’re just thinking of everything to take precautions.”

Mickey visibly shocked attempts to answer.” Uh yeah, yeah um I got to go. Ian will be back soon.”

“Sure. Here.” Fiona hands him a pan of some lasagna she cooked for them and packs Ian’s refill pills up. Mickey nods in thanks before taking the items and leaving.

Fiona smacks Lip in the arm when Mickey is out of eye shot. “Be fucking nicer.”

Mickey walks through the Milkovich doors and slams the lasagna on the table. Ian walks out of the bedroom and towards Mickey.

Mickey is pacing now. He eyes Ian and bites his lip, looking down. “Why didn’t you tell me?” He asks.

“What?” Ian answers. Obviously he has no clue what Mickey is talking about so Mickey tries to clarify. “Why didn’t you tell me about your… I was at your house with Lip and Fiona picking up this shit and…”    Mickey breathes heavily.

“Mick what did Fiona and Lip tell you?” Mickey looks at Ian and his face softens.

“They told me you had an…Eating disorder or…”

“Shit,” Ian sits own at the table slowly.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Ian looks up at Mickey and sighs “It’s not like that.” Ian says softly.

“Like what?” Mickey joins Ian at the table.

“Like what you think.”

“What do you mean?”

“It wasn’t. I wasn’t doing it to-,” Ian looks own at his hands. “I was young. I didn’t know what I was doing. Monica had just left. It was just Fiona taking care of us. Frank was as worthless as he is now. Lip was barely old enough to work and it would have almost been child labor to hire me. Carl and Debbie were toddlers Liam was a newborn. So we lived off of mainly Fiona’s paychecks and whatever work Lip could find. So…” Ian stops for a moment, picking at the wood on the table. He looks back up to Mickey

 “I was stupid. Money was tight. I thought if I had less to eat they have more.”  He looks down again. “It got a little out of hand.”

“How you get better?” Mickey’s eyes haven’t move off of Ian’s face since he started telling the story.  

“Well Linda hired me at the Kash n Grab when I was probably too young to legally so she told me to say I was her nephew if anyone asked. I worked a few hours until I was 14 then I could work a bit longer so money wasn’t as tight and then well… Lip and Fiona also found out and freaked. Figured if they made more food I’d eat more. Which I did because I felt guilty at the waste. But it was never a…”  Ian shakes his head and wipes his forehead. “Like I said I was …du-“

“Selfless,” Mickey stops Ian.

“What?”

“Fucking selfless.”

 Ian tries to push away Mickeys compliment but Mickey won’t let him.

“You didn’t eat so your siblings could? Jesus Ian. And you call Fiona the mother hen.”

“Shut up.” Ian looks embarrassed.

Mickey laughs but turns serious and points his finger at Ian scolding “But don’t ever do that. Promise. You’re worth something too you know?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Ian looks away, trying to play it off as a joke.

“Ian. I’m serious.” Mickey looks straight at Ian.

 Ian turns to him and smiles assuring. “I know. I promise I won’t.”

“Good.” Mickey gets up and walk over to Ian kissing him on the forehead. “Now lets see how good your sister’s lasagna is." Mickey says as he takes the foil off the pan.


End file.
